diff --git a/backup-theseus.sh b/backup-theseus.sh
index 435ca2e..b291f3d 100755
--- a/backup-theseus.sh
+++ b/backup-theseus.sh
@@ -1,16 +1,28 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
+# run as root
+export euid=$(id -u)
+if [ ${euid} -eq 0 ]; then
+    echo "Running as root"
+else
+    echo "This script should be run as root"
+    exit
+fi
+
 # check if password was set
 if [[ -z "${BORG_PASSPHRASE}" ]]; then
     echo 'BORG_PASSPHRASE is not set, `export BORG_PASSPHRASE=PASS`'
+    exit
 fi
-export BORG_REPO=fileserver@homeserver.box:/srv/data/backup/borg/theseus
+export REMOTE_USER=fileserver@homeserver.box
+export REMOTE_PATH=/srv/data/backup/borg/theseus
+export BORG_REPO=$REMOTE_USER:$REMOTE_PATH
 export BORG_BIN="$(which borg)"
 
 # some helpers and error handling:
 info() { printf "\n%s %s\n\n" "$( date )" "$*" >&2; }
 trap 'echo $( date ) Backup interrupted >&2; exit 2' INT TERM
 
-info "Starting backup"
+echo "Starting backup"
 
 # Backup the most important directories into an archive named after
 # the machine this script is currently running on:
@@ -24,19 +36,24 @@ $BORG_BIN create                         \
     --compression zstd,11           \
     --exclude-caches                \
     --exclude 'home/*/.cache/*'     \
-    --exclude 'home/Download/*'     \
-    --exclude 'home/\.local/share/baloo/*'     \
+    --exclude 'home/*/Documents/code/compile/*'     \
+    --exclude '*Cache*'     \
+    --exclude 'home/*/Download/*'     \
+    --exclude 'home/*/.local/*'     \
+    --exclude '*JetBrains/Toolbox/apps*'     \
     --exclude '*/.Trash*'           \
     --exclude '*/Trash*'           \
-    --exclude '*/.Steam*'           \
+    --exclude '*/build/*'           \
+    --exclude '*Steam*'           \
                                     \
     ${BORG_REPO}::'{hostname}-{now}'            \
     /home                           \
+    /root                           \
     /etc
 
 backup_exit=$?
 
-info "Pruning repository"
+echo "Pruning repository"
 
 # Use the `prune` subcommand to maintain 3 daily, 3 weekly and 6 monthly
 # archives of THIS machine. The '{hostname}-*' matching is very important to
@@ -55,7 +72,7 @@ prune_exit=$?
 
 # actually free repo disk space by compacting segments
 
-info "Compacting repository"
+echo "Compacting repository"
 
 $BORG_BIN compact
 
@@ -66,13 +83,13 @@ global_exit=$(( backup_exit > prune_exit ? backup_exit : prune_exit ))
 global_exit=$(( compact_exit > global_exit ? compact_exit : global_exit ))
 
 if [ ${global_exit} -eq 0 ]; then
-    info "Backup, Prune, and Compact finished successfully"
+    echo "Backup, Prune, and Compact finished successfully"
 elif [ ${global_exit} -eq 1 ]; then
-    info "Backup, Prune, and/or Compact finished with warnings"
+    echo "Backup, Prune, and/or Compact finished with warnings"
 else
-    info "Backup, Prune, and/or Compact finished with errors"
+    echo "Backup, Prune, and/or Compact finished with errors"
 fi
 
-du -hs $BORG_REPO
+ssh $REMOTE_USER du -hs $REMOTE_PATH
 
 exit ${global_exit}